Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Vince was stunned.noveldrama

Back then, after Sheila's offhand remark made him suspect Jessica might be her sister, he'd gone to Jessica's hometown to investigate. That's when Herbert inadvertently mentioned Jessica's birthmark. Vince pressed him for details, but that fool-believing Vince was interested in Jessica-refused to say a word about it. Vince had even snapped at him, demanding to know why he hadn't chased after Jessica in all these seven years.

All this time, Herbert hadn't gone after Jessy because he'd been hiding away in an operating room, researching aphasia?

Vince deeply regretted the way he'd spoken to Herbert that day.

If he'd known the truth, he never would have said those things.

Jessica's heart pounded so hard she felt paralyzed, unable to move.

He'd come back-returned to their hometown to find her. The very first time they met again, he'd given her that voice-emitting necklace.

Later, in order not to hold her back because of Timothy's suspicions, he'd brought up leaving the Wheeler family several times—and eventually, he really did leave.

He never told her, not wanting to put any pressure on her.

He spent seven years locked away in a lab, researching aphasia on his own, and never breathed a word.

When she finally found her voice, he only told her that a friend of his had made it possible.

She had no idea how much he'd done for her, quietly, behind the scenes.

Memories from their youth surged and tumbled through Jessica's mind.

Whenever he'd seen her getting bullied, he'd hang around after school, slinging his backpack over one shoulder, waiting for her to come out before heading home himself.

Every morning, when she left her house, she'd always "coincidentally" bump into him leaving his own.

When they started junior high at a school farther from home, Mrs. Reynolds had bought him a bike, and he'd given Jessica a ride every day.

He'd always been a troublemaker, loved getting into fights, never seemed to care about the rules. Yet somehow, he'd grown up to become a brilliant doctor.

She remembered how, when they were little, he'd once asked her what her greatest wish was.

She'd said she wanted to speak-just to be able to talk.

Had he remembered that wish all these years? Had he been searching for a way to make it come true?

So instead of living off his family's fortune, he'd chosen to become a doctor-for her?

Vince gazed at Jessica, whose eyes brimmed with pain so deep she seemed about to break down. His own heart felt unbearably heavy.

Compared to Timothy or Yates, it was Herbert's steadfast affection over those fifteen years that truly matched Jessy's gentle spirit.

Jessica had given seven years to Timothy.

But that fool Herbert-he'd spent fifteen years of his life quietly loving Jessy from afar.

How could Timothy ever compare?

Jessica's chest tightened, as if something was lodged there, making it hard to breathe.

When she finally managed to lift her

head, she saw Herbert emerging

from the ICU with more than a

dozen doctors. He was in his white coat, @stethoscope hanging around his neck, mask pulled down, his expression serious as he discussed something with another doctor.

Only then did she realize: without her noticing, Herbert had become a top-tier physician—no longer the reckless street kid who was always getting into fights.

Timothy had never wanted to give Herbert an inch; he'd pushed him relentlessly. Yet when it mattered most, Herbert was still the one mobilizing every resource he had to help save Timothy's life.

Jessica broke into a run, hurrying toward Herbert.

She stumbled into his line of sight, eyes shining with tears. Herbert froze, his heart

aching-she must be worried sick about Timothy.

Turning to the doctors beside him, Herbert said, "You all head to the conference

room first. I'll be there in a moment."

Sallie lingered in the waiting area, uncertain what Jessica intended.

At the ICU doors,

Jessica and

Herbert stood face-to-face. Herbert's

voice was gentle as he tried to reassure her, "Don't worry. They've all gone to check on Timothy. We'll be discussing treatment options right away. There's a good chance, maybe even today, that we'll be able to perform a minimally invasive procedure to help him wake up. I really believe there's hope he'll pull through..."